THE RYDER CUP

September 28, 2025

Keegan Bradley

Sam Burns

Patrick Cantlay

Bryson DeChambeau

Harris English

Ben Griffin

Russell Henley

Collin Morikawa

Xander Schauffele

J.J. Spaun

Scottie Scheffler

Justin Thomas

Cameron Young

Bethpage Black Course

Team USA

Press Conference

THE MODERATOR: We are joined now by the United States Team led by Captain Keegan Bradley.

Keegan, heck of a battle out there today. How proud are you of your team?

KEEGAN BRADLEY: Yeah, the boys really fought today. That was incredible. I didn't expect anything different. These guys are really an incredible group. And you know, they played the last two days when we were way down. You wouldn't have known we were way down. They looked like they were battling. Their body language was good. They were pumping up the crowd. They were fighting the whole way, even when things were not looking good, and I didn't expect anything different today than these guys who are determined, proud, and playing for each other, playing for their team, playing for their country, and they showed the world today that, really, anything is possible. That was a coin flip there for a second.

Never more proud of anything in my life.

Q. At what point during the afternoon did you start to get the sense that the chips were falling in place to maybe make something historic happen?

KEEGAN BRADLEY: Let me see, about probably when Scottie was on 9 or 10, it really started to turn. And then, you know, the boys, we won the 18th hole. Those were -- you know, we had to have those matches.

When we sent out Cam Young first from New York to lead us out, we had to have that match. He went out there in front of the whole world, in front of his home state, and made a 10-footer to beat Justin Rose who is an all-time Ryder Cupper and get to celebrate at Bethpage Black in front of everybody.

Then Justin Thomas, same thing. I mean, we had to have that. Bryson was 5-down after six. Got that match back to even. You know, with the 28-3 references the other night, everything had to happen exactly the way -- for them to win, and it was looking for a second like it was happening.

What a wild ride. What a fun day.

Q. So maybe you cannot call it a comeback, but in terms of performance today, you would say it's probably comparable or better than Medinah on Sunday?

KEEGAN BRADLEY: The Europeans won one match today. You think about the odds of something like that happening, just on a coin flip would be incredible. But when you go out in sports and you're battling your butt off to win, it just shows you just how proud these guys are and how much they want this and how much this means to them, and to watch them go out all week and hold their heads high and then go out there today and do what they did is close to a miracle.

We were this close to doing this, and it was just so fun for me to sit back and watch and say on the radio, "We've got to have this putt," and it went in and now we need J.T. to make it and he makes it.

To be able to do stuff like that under pressure is remarkable, and to watch it up close was special.

Q. And talking about under pressure, quick follow-up, for the matches that were coming in the middle, J.J., Scottie, Xander, were you looking at the leaderboard? Were you paying attention to what was happening there?

XANDER SCHAUFFELE: Captain had a message for us to worry about our own point. Obviously it was hard not to peek when there was some USA chants ripping through the property. But for the most part, Captain's message to us was to focus on our point and nothing else whether you look at the board or not, however you operate is how you're supposed to do it.

So that was kind of the mentality that I think all of us carried today.

Q. Justin, you had one of the early matches and I would imagine some of the most adrenaline of your life coming off of 18. In the moments that followed, it just felt like something was building. What was going through your head and how were you deciding where to go to watch more golf? I saw you on three different holes. What is that like?

JUSTIN THOMAS: I'm definitely good walking up that hill on 18. I did that enough today. It's really hard to explain how fast, I mean, not only the week but just the day goes. And I was -- I think I was maybe behind my putt, about to go into it on 17 when I assumed Cam made his. I heard a roar and I backed off. And then to see that he had won his match and then it was like, okay, you know, it just is one of those things like yeah, we all -- we all, deep down, I'm sure we felt like we could. But in reality, you look at it, it is what it is. But like Keegan said, everything kept happening and happening and happening.

You know, you're just -- the next match is the most important when you're in a position like we were going into today. It was just important to get whoever was the closest to winning their match through and it just kept happening and happening. Yeah, it was so cool to be part of.

Q. What went into the decision with the course setup, particularly the short rough? Did the data and your team set up for that short rough?

KEEGAN BRADLEY: We tried to set the course up to help our team. Obviously it wasn't the right decision. I think anytime you're the leader of a team or the captain or the coach, or whatever, we talked about this last night, you're going to get the accolades and you need to take the blame for when things don't go well.

I definitely made a mistake on the course setup. I should have listened a little bit more to my intuition. For whatever reason, that wasn't the right way to set the course up. The greens were as soft as I've ever seen greens without it raining. Especially here, it can get pretty firm, and they never firmed up.

Q. You said your intuition. Did the data say to cut the rough?

KEEGAN BRADLEY: We sat, or I did, and looked at a lot of info. We thought this was the best way to set the golf course up to win. You look at past Ryder Cups, and that's kind of how it goes. You know, sometimes, you've got to make a decision on what to do, and you know, if I could go back, I probably would have changed that.

But the Europeans played just incredible golf. Doesn't matter how you set the course up when you play that well.

BRYSON DeCHAMBEAU: (Nodding.)

KEEGAN BRADLEY: When you perform at that high of a level, that's as high of a level as a Ryder Cup Team has ever played on for those two days, I think. When that happens, they just beat you sometimes.

Q. You talked yesterday about some of the Super Bowls and the comebacks that told you that this was possible. Just wondered when you gave that mentally to your team what reaction you saw from your players that reinforced that belief that this could be possible?

KEEGAN BRADLEY: I'll tell what you, we were talking with the vice captains last night when everyone went to bed that the team really believed they could win. Like I was honestly pretty surprised. I was on a team that got smoked and we did not have that feeling.

When we went to bed, I was just astonished at how these guys were like, we're going to win this, and they believed it. They weren't just saying it. I could see the belief in their eyes. I could see it this morning. I could see their body language. Like these guys, they weren't moping around. They were ready to go out and win and play their hardest, and they did that.

Q. I know you haven't had a ton of time to reflect on just the last year and a half, and everything that led into this, but when you think about that, is there anything that you would change or do different in terms of not just for your captaincy but like for future captaincies that you would advise future captains to maybe go about differently in the lead-up to the Ryder Cup?

KEEGAN BRADLEY: No. I mean, I'm three seconds, 20 minutes after losing. I haven't put much thought into it.

I had to learn a lot on the fly. I had to rely on a lot of people. I was going up against an incredible team, and you know, in my eyes, I think he's the best European Ryder Cup Captain of all time, Luke Donald.

I did the best that I could, and trying to balance playing, but it's the most fun thing I've ever done in my life. I wouldn't trade any of this for a second. I woke up every day excited to do this. It turned me into a different person that I am today that I am very thankful for these guys for. (Team applauding.)

Q. Viktor was injured and Harris unfortunately had to sit out. This has been a long tradition in the captain's agreement. Would you wish that this would be looked at to maybe find an alternative if a player is injured moving forward?

KEEGAN BRADLEY: Yeah, it has to change.

Q. Do you have any ideas?

KEEGAN BRADLEY: I have a few ideas but I'm not going to tell you right now. I mean, the rule has to change. I think it's obvious to everybody in the sports world, in this room. Nothing against Viktor. But that rule needs to change by the next Ryder Cup.

Q. Gentlemen, obviously not the outcome you were looking for, but I'm just curious if each and every one of you guys realize truly how proud the American fans are of you guys and the performance you put on today. Do you guys have a sense of that, what's going on on the other side?

(Players turning to one another.)

BEN GRIFFIN: There were definitely a lot less "olés" out there today, a lot more "USAs," which was nice to hear.

KEEGAN BRADLEY: Yeah, I certainly felt it. These guys were probably too focused on what they were doing because these New York crowds are tough. They had every right to be pissed off at us for being down and being at their course and not performing at what they felt like. Quite frankly, I was nervous about today.

But when New York fans and hardworking people, people that grew up around here see people playing with that sort of heart and that sort of passion and that sort of grit of not giving up, they get behind that pretty quick.

Q. Justin, you were active yesterday in whipping up the crowd before the game against Rory and Shane Lowry, and you saw, you witnessed, the abuse that was dished out to them, and you also saw, I'm sure, that there were police dogs and extra state troopers. How close do you think we are getting to a position where the safety of golf, both U.S. golfers and European golfers, is in danger?

JUSTIN THOMAS: I mean, I don't think anyone's safety was necessarily in danger. Words hurt, too. There was definitely some nasty things said, but I don't think anybody was necessarily fearing for their life or in any kind of situation where they were going to get hurt.

Yeah, I think that anybody that was out there could pretty blatantly tell you that there was some things said, and yeah, it was -- I said it to -- Cam and I said it to Shane and Rory yesterday that we felt for them. It was unfortunate.

Cam and I just wished that we gave them something to cheer for instead of people to cheer against. I think that was kind of the main consensus of the last two days, that we weren't giving them enough to cheer for, and they were just trying to help us win.

I guess that's the New York fans for you.

Q. Scottie, just wondering the range of emotions you went through this week, obviously ending on a positive, struggling through the first couple days.

SCOTTIE SCHEFFLER: Yeah I think the emotions of the week, I think we're always excited to get these types of events started. Keegan and our vice captains put us in a position to succeed. They did everything that was asked of them.

I had extreme confidence in what this team could do, and that's due to our captain. I think they did an amazing job. Keegan did an amazing job.

My emotions yesterday afternoon when the matches ended, I think it's hard to put into words how much it hurts to lose all four matches. To have the trust of my captains and teammates to go out there and play all four matches and lose all four, it's really hard to put into words how much that stings and hurts.

I'll go back and reflect on that. But one of the coolest things was these guys picking me up last night. The guys on this team, this is a really special group of guys. We have a special captain, and I was proud to be standing there fighting with these guys today.

I think it showed a lot about our team. I think it showed a lot about the job all these guys did to put us in a position to succeed.

I can't tell you how much fun it was watching Bryson in front of me hitting those putts coming back from 5-down, walking down 17 and seeing J.T. hole the putt, walking down 16 hearing the roar for Cam. I can't tell you how much I needed these guys this week, and it's just a really special group.

It was probably one of the lowest moments of my career, but it turned out to be one of the most special just because I've got great friends in this room and I was really proud to be battling with these guys for three days.

Q. You mentioned how much you had to learn on the fly. Europe always stresses continuity from their captain, vice captains, statisticians, the whole operations. What do you think The PGA of America could do better foundationally to put the next captain in a stronger position to succeed?

KEEGAN BRADLEY: Well, first off, The PGA of America put me in an amazing position to succeed. They gave me every resource. They gave me every option. I had everything at my fingertips. This is no one's fault but mine.

When you are the leader of the team and you're the coach, the captain, whatever you want to call it, and you lose, you have to take the blame. This is no one else's fault. This is no one else's, the PGA of America or whatever it is. Sometimes in sports, you go up against an opponent that sometimes beats you; they play better. And they played better than us. We gave it a great fight, that's for sure.

But everybody put me in the best position to succeed. It was a unique approach, and like I said, I had to learn on the fly. But I also had been on a lot of these teams, and I had the resources of all the vice captains and all the previous captains, as well, that helped me.

I think the goal was to give the captaincy a fresh face, a different way to go about things. Unfortunately, it didn't work out. But we have some momentum going forward. I think we can continue down this road, and I'll help out the best I can to help the next captain or the next whoever it is.

Q. Can you talk about what today's match meant to you after the rough weekend? What does it mean to come out with the win against world No. 2 after the weekend you had had?

SCOTTIE SCHEFFLER: I think when I go back and look at the first couple days of this tournament, at times, it felt like a perfect storm of things were happening against us, and today we had some stuff that seemed to go right.

And really, at the end of the match, I was just proud to be able to get a point up on the board. Like you said, it was a difficult week for me personally. I was just proud to get a point up on the board and keep this thing alive for a little bit longer.

I mean, I can't speak enough to the fight that these guys have in this room. I mean, the battle that we -- after the butt whooping we got the first two days of this tournament, to come back today and play like we did I think really shows a lot of heart. I think it shows a lot of spirit within our team room. Like I said, I'm really proud of these guys, and I was proud to be able to keep this thing going for a little bit longer.

Q. It was the first-ever 1 and 2 match-up in a Ryder Cup singles match. In your mind, does that signify this year what you've accomplished and solidifies to yourself what your position is in the golf world?

SCOTTIE SCHEFFLER: I don't really think about that stuff very often. Like I said, I was just proud to be able to get a point up on the board. We needed to get some red up on the board early and we were able to do that.

I think everybody was surprised how good of a scare we gave the Europeans today, and you know, they had a tremendous first two days. I mean, the amount of putts I saw go in, they played amazing golf the first two days of this tournament, and that's why they are the winners.

For us, like I said, I'm proud of the fight and the spirit in this room. These guys are amazing. Our whole team, this was an amazing team, and I'm probably pretty gutted to not be sitting here as the winning Ryder Cup Team. But at the end of the day, Keegan, our vice captains, The PGA of America, everybody put us in a position to succeed, and at the end of the day, just wasn't able to get it done.

Q. Keegan or Scottie or Russell, small question, but I noticed on Friday and Saturday a different player teed off on No. 1. I was curious what went into switching that?

SCOTTIE SCHEFFLER: I'll just keep it rolling.

Russell and I felt like with the way the golf course had changed, you know, we had anticipated the golf course playing a certain way, and then things changed for us. Kind of when you see it in competition, I think it was more important for us to have a little bit more length off the tee, and then Russell, with the way he hits his irons, we felt like we had a better chance with his lower ball flight of getting the ball in close. That was really all it came down to. It was just really seeing the golf course in competition as we were playing it.

When we got done on Friday night, Teddy and Andy when I went down to the team room to go cold tub, they were sitting at the table and they had brought up the idea of us switching. The more they looked at it, we felt pretty strongly that would give us a better chance, and I think it did. Most of that was just the nature of how much the golf course changed.

Russell is a guy that hits a ton of fairways, and we just felt, I think, a little bit more length off the tee was important, and I obviously don't hit as many fairways as Russell. The rough this week wasn't as penal, I think, as we anticipated. So when you see it in competition, I think that's part of the ebbs and flows of really team golf.

Q. Dumb question to follow up. In those situations do you talk to the scouts guys, the stats people and get their opinion on that, or is that something you decide among yourselves?

SCOTTIE SCHEFFLER: First person I called was -- I think I called Gary and he didn't answer, and so then I called Webb and Webb answered (laughing).

We talked through it for about three or four minutes. I think he was in the room with you (turning to Keegan). Was one of the scouts in there? I don't remember.

KEEGAN BRADLEY: I don't either.

SCOTTIE SCHEFFLER: It was just one thing that Russell and I felt like could give us a better chance on Saturday and we went with it. We did our best. I'd like to have that wedge shot on 18 back. Yeah, don't really have much to elaborate on that.

Q. For Cameron and Bryson, you guys had kind of opposite days, I guess, but both had pretty special matches coming down to 18. Wondering if you could each just take us through your experience of the day.

CAMERON YOUNG: Yeah, obviously went through kind of a range of emotions just through the whole day. You know, got off to a good start, and kind of felt like nothing could go wrong, and then Justin Rose started doing some interesting things. Made some putts on me. And all of a sudden just feels like I'm just going to give it away.

Then, you know, to have a putt there on 18 to get a full point for the team was all could I have asked for. Like you guys have been saying, it was a day of trying to put points on the board. Went through a lot of different things but happy to have had that opportunity on the last hole.

BRYSON DeCHAMBEAU: Yeah, today I didn't get off to the best of starts, and Matt was playing really well.

It's one of those situations where I didn't play bad. I just didn't have anything go my way. Three-putted 3 and just didn't really get anything going until No. 8. Gave me a little glimmer of hope and I took it.

You know, it was one of those situations where I just thought back to what Xander said, "It's not over till the whistle blows." And I wasn't willing to give up for this team. They have been so amazing to me this week, and for however long I've known myself to be on this team, they have just been incredible. I couldn't give up for these guys.

And so my thought process was to just keep swimming, just keep moving and keep fighting back. I fought my ass off today for this team, for this country, and we all fought hard today. You can see, it reflects in the leaderboard and what we did today.

We're not quitters. We're not people that go down easy. So, so proud to be a part of this team, and it was great to get a half-point out of it. Wish I would have gotten a point, though.

Q. Cameron, you've made it clear all summer how much it would mean to be here on this golf course on this team. How did the reality match up?

CAMERON YOUNG: It's been incredible. I mean, from the moment I got the call from Keegan, you know, I feel like this group is incredibly close. We were incredibly driven to win this week. I think that's been the coolest part of it for me is to just be one of the 12 guys that's here playing for our country, playing for each other.

You know, that last bit there where we were making a run, I don't know about any of you guys, but I haven't felt anything like that playing golf before. I mean, that was truly unbelievable to watch one after the other just start making putts, fighting the way that they did. I've never seen anything like that, and I've never felt anything like that watching golf, playing golf, doesn't matter.

So I think it's really just a testament to how much it means to all of us to be here and how much we all want to play well for each other. It was truly unbelievable.

Q. Winning home and away is going to make Luke a legend as a Ryder Cup Captain. But what specifically makes you think that he's the best one ever?

KEEGAN BRADLEY: Well, I mean, he won home and away, and he won a Ryder Cup in New York in Bethpage. I think Luke, he's an incredible leader. He's really quiet, and I think he was able to kind of come out of his shell, I guess, a little in these Ryder Cup years.

I think he turned this European Team into a really unstoppable force, especially the first two days, and you know, in my eyes, I think he's the best European Ryder Cup captain ever. I was really excited to go up against him, but I knew it was going to be tough to beat him.

He put his team in the best position to win, and to do that at these two places is a remarkable feat.

Q. And I know you're taking a lot of responsibility for the defeat. Is there anything that you point to as where you felt like he out-captained you?

KEEGAN BRADLEY: I have no clue. I don't know. I mean --

JUSTIN THOMAS: We needed to make more putts. That's what Keegan needed; he needed us to make more putts. That's what he needed to do.

KEEGAN BRADLEY: I think in a lot of ways when you're an away captain there's a lot less decisions. When you're the home captain, you have to set the course. I wish I could have some of those decisions back. I definitely feel I made a few mistakes there, but it's tough to tell that it's going to rain before the Ryder Cup. It's tough to tell sort of the way the course is going to be when we're here. We didn't want the greens to be like this soft. They were perfect. And the grounds crew did an incredible job.

I've got to take responsibility for this outcome for sure.